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I haven't done a review for some of the more popular anime on Cartoon Network, so I'll start with one of my favorites. Naruto is an action ninja anime full of adventure, magic, comedy, and emotion. There is some violence and some blood, so I'd rate this anime PG-13, but as far as animes go into violence, Naruto is actually fairly mellow.

The time setting for this anime is difficult to place as the ninjas in this anime use some handheld electronics such as two-way radios. They also use some seemingly modern combat gear, such as knife vests similar to the bullet-resistant kevlar vests used in the military today. However, the villages all resemble feudal era Japan and there are no paved roads or motor vehicles. This was apparently something the writer just didn't take into account and the viewer just has a bare with.

Anyway, the story begins shortly before the graduation exam of Naruto Uzamaki (picture below), a ninja in training. Naruto is a high-spirited, wreckless, and mischievous scamp who had failed the graduation exam 4 times before. Though being orphaned as a child and constantly looked upon by others as being worthless and different, his high spirit drove his aspirations to become the next Hokage (ninja lord for his village).

Though being a master of the shuriken (thrown weapons), Naruto had a great deal of trouble mastering the various ninja arts and skills known as "jutsu." Despite this streak of failure, Naruto had a dark secret. Unbeknownst to even Naruto, a demon spirit lay trapped within his body, imprisoned by the 4th Hokage who ruled when Naruto was born.

At that time, a demon known as Kyubi or the Nine-Tailed Fox had attacked the village and slew many ninja. The 4th Hokage stood against the demon and sealed him away into the body of a newly born infant. This act cost the Hokage his life, but he had saved the village and granted the infant great power when he grows and learns to control it.

Naruto takes its time getting into the viewer's "regular episode" routine where the general storyline actually starts to come together. However, it is very worth the wait. Naruto has everything an anime fan could ask for in an anime from adventure to magic and combat to comedy. I recommend this anime to anyone over 13 years of age.